Fast Growing Shrubs

Quick Guide to Fast Growing Shrubs

Certain circumstances require a quick fix like adding fast growing shrubs to a landscape. Maybe it’s a neighbor whose home is just a little too close for comfort, or the unsightly and unkempt lot next door is an eyesore from the viewing areas of your home. It could be the simple reason of desiring more privacy or beauty in your own yard. Whatever the reason, you need to have a barrier of some sort between your home and another site, and a green, living hedge of shrubs will provide just what you need.

Choosing a shrub is more than just looking online at all the options available and picking the one that appeals the most. Knowing the type of soil in the area to be planted, the amount of sunlight the area receives and the amount of space to be filled in will be beneficial to making the right choice for a shrub. The homeowner will also need to decide whether a flowering shrub or simple greenery is desired. The geographic region will also dictate which types of shrubs will be appropriate for the climate. Once these considerations have been taken, it will be time to choose which of the fast growing shrubs will be best for the specific needs.

PRIVACY FENCE
When a privacy fence is needed, several options for shrubs that provide a screening feature can fit the bill. Green hedges can be accomplished in short order with one of the giant versions of arborvitae; shrubs that are a lovely evergreen year round, dense enough to offer a windbreak feature as well as a privacy screen and can be grown in just about any soil conditions as well as most growing zones. Arborvitae shrubs perform best in full sunlit conditions. A few other evergreen choices are Leyland Cyprus and Firethorn; both excellent in growth but limited to USDA growing areas 5 through 9.

A lovely decorative hedge shrub is the Privet shrub. Delicate white flowers grace the dense foliage during the summer months, followed by clusters of black colored berries. Homeowners with pets and children may wish to use caution, however, as the berries are mildly poisonous.

BEAUTY
For adding beauty to a landscape in a short amount of time, few shrubs can compare to the appearance of flowering azaleas. Cold hardy, azaleas such as the Autumn Angel and Autumn Debutante varieties provide a full nine months worth of heavy, perfumed blooms in multiple colors to complement a landscape. Growing 3 to 4 feet in height, these shrubs can fill in unsightly or empty areas in the yard while bringing bright splashes of color to an otherwise drab area.

MULTI-PURPOSE
Some fast growing shrubs, such as lilacs, butterfly plants and berry bushes bring the feature of privacy in a most fragrant and delicious manner. Lilacs blooming in the spring are thought by many to be the most fragrant and beloved of springtime flowers. They are also thickly leafed shrubs that tower to heights of up to 15’ if desired. Butterfly plants can reach 6 feet high, and provide not only a lovely scent to the homeowner, but also to a number of butterflies and hummingbirds who seek out the sweet nectar delivered up by the heavy clusters of bright blooms. Berry lovers will especially enjoy adding blueberry shrubs to their landscapes. The Toro variety grows as high as 8 feet which makes it ideal for use as a hedge. The flowers in the spring and the red foliage in the fall offer great beauty, while the berry yield will satisfy many appetites.

Fast growing shrubs of many varieties can meet the needs of many homeowners. Privacy, beauty and even culinary uses can be enjoyed when including these and more in a landscape.